


Winter Afternoon

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Drama, Gen, Series: Glimpses of Ben
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-01-26
Updated: 2000-01-26
Packaged: 2018-11-11 04:17:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11140866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: part of a series of short stories about Ben and his childhood





	Winter Afternoon

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).
    
    
    Rated PG
    No Pairings
    No Spoilers:  Unless you count every episode that Benton Fraser's seems
    to think his looks are nothing to speak of. Author:  Lys
    
    Disclaimer:  The characters belong to Alliance.  Just borrowing them
    a bit.  
    
    Contact me: 
    
    WINTER AFTERNOON
    
    The bitterly cold wind blew the drifting snow across the village streets.
    The village's only store had smoke streaming skyward from its chimney.
    The figure bent over in the wind carried a large bundle.  Dressed in
    a warm parka and mukluks the lone figure trudged up the steps to the
    front door and butting the door open, entered the store.
    
    Inside, the room was warm and dark and lit only by the light from the
    warming stove in the middle of the store.  The shopkeeper sat on a chair
    close to the stove surrounded by several of the village women who held
    their children on their laps.  The stores occupants turned towards the
    newcomer in the room.  Their dark eyes reflected the light from the warming
    stoves fire.   Without Exception their faces turned into smiles as the
    newcomer put down the bundle and shook off the hood of the parka.  
    
    The woman's dark, curly hair framed her face as she smiled back at her
    friends.  She leaned over and began unwrapping the bundle she had carried.
    Three layers down inside the wrappings a child's head covered in dark
    curls began to emerge as the child was unwrapped.  Large, blue eyes surveyed
    the room as the three old boy held up his arms for his mother.  She picked
    up him and held him close to her chest.  Turning around she went to sit
    in the only vacant chair left in the room.
    
    Several of the other mothers gave her sad looks and shook their heads.
    It was impolite to stare, but one of them, the youngest, could not help
    it.  She leaned towards her own mother and whispered.  "What an ugly
    child."  
    
    Caroline Fraser pretended not to hear.  Then she brushed her hand along
    her son's beautiful curled hair and brushed her lips against the curls.
    She looked up proudly and said, "His eyes are like mine, his hair is
    like his father's.  He will grow straight and strong.  In our village
    he is beautiful."  
    
    The young woman who had called the child ugly, hung her head.  She was
    shamed, her words had been heard and she was guilty of offense.  
    
    The curly-haired child watched and his body shook as he heard all the
    words.   His mother thought he was cold and hugged him tightly to her.
    But the child never forgot, he had been called 'ugly'. 
    
    


End file.
